Metropolitan Museum of Art Tours

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New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art is one of the world’s most prestigious art collections and cultural hubs. Five million annual visitors stroll the Met’s 17 acres (6.9 hectares) of gallery space, gazing upon pieces representing 5,000 years of art and human history. From Egyptian tombs to American abstract expressionist paintings, the museum’s permanent collection has more than 2 million objects, so expect to stay awhile.

The Basics

Valid for three consecutive days, basic Met tickets include access exhibits at the museum’s three branches: the Met Fifth Avenue, the Met Breuer, and the Met Cloisters. Visit on a hop-on hop-off bus tour and peruse the Met’s vast collection on your own, or see the highlights on a private tour with an expert guide. Skip-the-line tickets and VIP after-hours admission are also available for visitors who want to save time and escape the crowds. Similarly, travelers can choose an EmptyMet tour to visit before the museum opens and partner up with an art expert to enjoy an intimate view of the collection’s most famous exhibits.

Things to Know Before You Go

Fee-based audio tours are available in several languages.

Food and drink, other than water in plastic bottles, are not allowed into the museum.

There are eight onsite dining options, ranging from casual cafés and cafeterias to fine dining spots.

Flash photography and video cameras are not permitted inside the museum.

Luggage, carry-on bags, musical instruments, oversize backpacks, and other large items are not allowed in the museum and cannot be stored at the coat check.

How to Get There

Set back from Fifth Avenue on the eastern edge of Central Park in New York City, the Metropolitan Museum of Art is the star attraction of Museum Mile. To get there, catch a Fifth Avenue bus or take the subway to 86th Street (4, 5, or 6 train); from the Upper West Side, take the M86 bus across the park and get off at Fifth Avenue.

When to Get There

The Met is open year-round and daily from 10am to 5:30pm, with extended hours until 9pm on Friday and Saturday nights. Summer visitors can enjoy incredible views of Central Park from the rooftop café and bar, open May through October. In winter, the museum can be a cozy retreat from chilly weather. Weekends are the busiest time to visit, so visit on a weekday if you want to avoid crowds. For a sophisticated evening treat, visit on Friday or Saturday night, when the Met serves cocktails and snacks with live music on the Great Hall Balcony Bar.

Met Museum Highlights

Since the Met opened to the public in 1880, its footprint has expanded to cover more than 2 million square feet (186,000 square meters). While there is something for everyone here, highlights include the collections of European paintings, classical antiquities, medieval armor, Islamic art and artifacts, and American decorative arts. Don’t miss masterpieces such as Canova’s Perseus with the Head of Medusa, Monet’s The Water Lily Pond, and Vincent van Gogh’s Wheat Field with Cypresses. The roof garden showcases a different temporary installation each year.

The Met presents over 5,000 years of art from every corner of the world for everyone to experience and enjoy. The Museum lives in three iconic sites in New York City – The Met Fifth Avenue, The Met Breuer and The Met Cloisters. With your 3-day admission pass, explore the world-famous Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City in all three locations. The Met boasts hundreds of events and programs each month — including lectures, performances, tours, family activities and more.

The Met presents over 5,000 years of art from every corner of the world for everyone to experience and enjoy. The Museum lives in three iconic sites in New York City – The Met Fifth Avenue, The Met Breuer and The Met Cloisters. With your 3-day admission pass, explore the world-famous Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City in all three locations. The Met boasts hundreds of events and programs each month — including lectures, performances, tours, family activities and more.

It’s possible to spend an entire day inside the Metropolitan Museum of Art and still not see everything. Which is why this 2- or 3-hour tour is the best way to take advantage of the riches that are inside one of the world’s greatest art museums. With a knowledgeable guide at your side the entire time, you’ll see the highlights of the collection and get special insight into the works of art on display. Best of all, this tour allows you to skip the line and just waltz right into the Met. From May to October, you can also lounge on the rooftop garden and get great views over Central Park. This small-group tour is limited to just 15 people.

Get a renegade take on New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art with an exciting 2-hour art tour through the Met’s weirdest, most wonderful and scandalous displays. Enjoy exclusive skip-the-line access, then follow your guide through the museum’s sprawling galleries to hear insider secrets about infamous artists and their creations. Make your museum visit a fun adventure with games, selfies and surprises as you experience the Met on your own terms.This is an unconventional tour of the Met. Not recommended for participants under 16 years old.

Explore the film and fiction highlights of New York City during a walking tour of Manhattan's historic Carnegie Hill neighborhood. A film critic guide whisks you around to the filming locations of numerous movies and the homes of celebrities, including Woody Allen, Truman Capote, and Robert Redford. This tour also visits Central Park, the Andrew Carnegie Mansion, the Jewish Museum, and the Church of Heavenly Rest.

From ancient Greece to the Italian Renaissance to 19th-century America and France, painters have reflected their society’s fascination with sexy ladies. On this 2-hour tour with an art historian guide in the Metropolitan Museum, hear real-life tales of the courtesans, prostitutes and royal mistresses depicted in many of the museum’s masterpieces. Your informative guide reveals an unexpected side of these paintings, providing a new lens through which to view the classic art collection of New York City’s premier museum.

Visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York like never before on this 1.5-hour Viator VIP tour. Head inside the Met before it opens to the general public and see its most famous exhibits with one of the museum’s own guides. Trace more than 5,000 years of human history and get up close to highlights such as Canova’s ‘Perseus with the Head of Medusa’ and Vincent van Gogh’s ‘Wheat Field with Cypresses’ without the usual crowds.

Get a personalized introduction to New York City's legendary arts showcase on a private tour of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Housing more than 2 million objects, this renowned institution can be overwhelming to explore, so let a private art historian guide show you all the highlights, from Henry VIII’s armor and paintings by Vermeer to the Chicago Stock Exchange steps and pop culture memorabilia. Opt for an evening tour on the weekends to explore away from the daytime crowds.

Discover a selection of NYC’s top attractions -- many with skip-the-line privileges including the Empire State Building Observatory -- and activities for one low price with the New York City Explorer Pass. Pick among landmarks like Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty, and activities like a Yankee Stadium Tour, and see the the city in comfort and convenience on a Hop On Hop Off tour, plus much more. 3-, 4-, 5-, 7- and 10-attraction pass options are available with immediate access right from your mobile device as well as special food and shopping discounts.

See the very best of Manhattan on a full-day sightseeing tour by double decker bus that includes an hour-long New York Harbor cruise, so you can see the Statue of Liberty from the water. Visit Rockefeller Center, the 9/11 Memorial, Grant’s Tomb, and Little Italy, and get a bird's-eye view of the city from the Top of the Rock Observation Deck. Along the way, you’ll pass through fascinating neighborhoods in Uptown, Midtown, and Downtown, and hear stories about New York history, culture, and daily life.

See the Big Apple with a Big Bus hop-on hop-off tour Classic ticket. Pass top attractions like Central Park, the Empire State Building and more, and learn about the history of the city from an on-board guide. Then, when you're ready to explore a part of town in greater depth, hop off. Upgrade to a Premium ticket that includes the choice of the Brooklyn Loop, the Harlem Loop or the Panoramic Night Tour. Choose the Deluxe ticket to include all loops and a sightseeing cruise.

Enjoy New York City’s visual treasures both inside and out on a private combo tour of Central Park and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Stroll through the famous urban greenscape with a guide, joining the local scene at famous landmarks like Central Park Zoo, Bethesda Fountain, Strawberry Fields, and Sheep Meadow. After a lunch break, immerse yourself in the Met’s world-class art collection as you learn the backgrounded behind works ranging from ancient Egyptian statues to medieval armor and modern masterpieces.

See highlights of the The Metropolitan Museum of Art on a private 2-hour tour that is geared for families with children. View artifacts such as Egyptian mummies and suits of armor with an art historian guide who provides fun activities and entertaining stories for the kids.

Simplify your trip to the Big Apple, save money, and gain fast track access to many attractions by purchasing The New York Pass. Choose between convenient 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, 5-, 6-, and 7-day pass options, granting access to more than 90 top NYC attractions like the Whitney Museum, Empire State Building Observation Deck, 9/11 Memorial and Museum, and more. With special skip-the-line access at many sites, and unlimited entry at included attractions, the benefits add up fast.

A hop-on hop-off New York bus tour allows you to see the city at your own pace and provides easy transportation to top sights. Entertaining tour guides keep you informed when you’re on board, and you can hop off and on the distinctive double-decker tour buses when you wish to check out attractions like the Empire State Building and Rockefeller Center. There are several options and combos to choose from with access to the Uptown Loop, Downtown Loop, Brooklyn Loop and Night Tour, or upgrade to add attractions to your tour!

As one of the largest art collections in the country, the Metropolitan Museum of Art can be overwhelming to navigate alone. As an alternative to standard day tours, the Shady Ladies tour highlights bold and scandalous women that visitors to the Met often miss. From ancient Greek mistresses to 19th-century Parisian elite, you guide delves into little-known secrets of art and art history.

Combine high-brow culture with the pleasures of a green urban oasis on a tour of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Central Park—two of New York City's favorite places for locals and visitors alike. Enjoy a pleasant stroll through the meadows and gardens of Central Park, stopping at recognizable film locations like Bethesda Fountain and Strawberry Fields, before admiring highlights of the Met’s vast collection, from ancient Egyptian artifacts to medieval armor and Impressionist paintings. It's a great way to explore the Big Apple both inside and out.

Bring one of your favorite shows into real life during this guided, ‘Gossip Girl’ tour to top New York City sights featured on the show. Follow in the path of the show’s characters snapping selfies as you visit key landmarks that played a role in the ‘Gossip Girl’ story. Explore Bethesda Terrace and Fountain where Blair and Chuck were married, see Nate’s townhouse, and more.

New York City—especially the Central Park area—has a lot of ground to cover. This Central Park electric bike tour allows you to see more than you would on a walking tour and in less time. Plus, it takes you to top highlights throughout the park, and lets you cruise along the bike-friendly Hudson River Park Greenway for fantastic river views. Bike rental, helmet, and bottled water all included for convenience.

If museums are on your New York City bucket list, explore two of the finest in the world on this private combo tour. First, admire masterpieces by Vermeer and van Gogh, medieval armor, ancient Egyptian statues, and other artsy artifacts at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. After a lunch break, head over to the American Museum of Natural History for a tour through time and space on planet Earth, complete with lifelike dioramas, near-complete dinosaur skeletons, and 33 million other scientific objects.

On this fun and informative two-hour tour of the Metropolitan Museum, you will meet the women who shattered the glass ceilings of their day, from ancient Egypt to 20th century America.You'll learn about the most powerful female Pharaoh of Egypt and her famous tomb, the mythical women who frightened ancient Greek men, the first official Roman Empress and the complete erasure of her memory and the official mistresses of French kings and the power they wielded. Hear stories of a woman scientist of pre-Revolutionary France, the female painters whose focus on women lives, instead of their bodies, changed modern painting. Plus, a suffragette who was one of the Metropolitan's main donorsand so much more. Learn about the rich history of women who stood for what they believed in and changed the world.

Take the guesswork out of a visit to New York’s most acclaimed museum with a small-group tour the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Skip the line and see the most important pieces of the enormous collection—including European paintings, ancient Egyptian sculpture, medieval armor, and pop culture memorabilia—and learn the stories behind the art from an expert guide. Group size is limited to eight for a more personalized tour of this world-renowned institution.

Get the inside story on the architecture that defines Manhattan’s skyline with a private walking tour of Midtown—the bustling heart of New York City. From the Empire State Building and other iconic skyscrapers to functional landmarks like Grand Central Station and the New York Public Library, see many of the city’s most impressive historic buildings while learning about their history and the preservation efforts that keep them gleaming for future generations.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art houses the largest art collection in the country: To visitors and locals alike, its size can be overwhelming. Go with a guide to eliminate the risk of aimless wandering and learn more than you could if exploring on your own. From Roman sculpture to African jewelry, the fashion-themed tour moves at an easy pace and delves into little-known secrets of art and history.